Control device



Sept. 8, 1953 w. w. MATHEWS CONTROL DEVICE Filed Feb. 2, 1950 I N VE NTOR. Mil/4M M/ M47195;

ATTOR N EY Patented Sept. 8, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CONTROLDEVICE WilliamWatt Mathews, Richmond, Va. 7 Application February 2,1950, Serial No. 142,031 2 Claims. (Cl. 10313) This invention relates toa control device and more particularly to such a device used inconnection with an internal combustion engine Working in conjunctionwith a pump.

One of the most important uses to which the invention is adapted is inconnection with the oil tank truck. The usual tank truck at the presenttime is equipped with an oil pump which is in operative relation withthe automobile tank truck engine. These pumps are made by variousmanufacturers, and consequently their maximum efficiency in terms ofrevolutions per minute varies. One pump may have a maximum efficiency of500 R. P. M. while another may be at its peak at 400 R. P. M.

With such a variety of pumps, naturally the motor engine must be made tosynchronize with the pump used in connection therewith to produce itsmaximum efiiciency. In tank trucks today this is not done. For instance,the operator of such a truck will throw the pump in gear with the engine(which is generally idling when truck is stopped) and then pull thethrottle to speed up the engine, and with such a manual operation it isalmost impossible to obtain the maximum efiiciency of the pump, and theautomobile engine is generally accelerated far beyond the necessaryspeed required to efliciently operate the pump. In other words, therecan be no automatic positive synchronization of the engine and pump;since the engine is accelerated or operated by manual control.

This invention overcomes the foregoing disadvantages, and one of theobjects is the provision of a device which synchronizes the engine andoil pump to produce their respective maximum efiiciencies.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a device forautomatically causing an engine and pump to operate at their respectivemaximum efficiency.

Other objects and features will more fully appear from the followingdescription and accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation with portions broken away and partlyin section of a tank truck with the invention applied thereto, and

Fig. 2 a diagrammatic view of the invention in the electrical circuit.

Referring to the drawings, a tank truck I has connected to its steeringwheel post 2 a bracket 3 which firmly secures a solenoid 4 to said post.The solenoid is provided with a plunger 5 which is movable in chamber 6.An adjustable set screw 1 is mounted in threadable fashion in one end ofthe solenoid and has a spring 8 secured thereto which will be more fullyexplained hereinafter.

The plunger 5 has an extension 9 projecting therefrom and its end isslidably mounted upon an accelerator rod 10, one end of which isconnected to a carburetor II, and the other end to a pedal 12. A looknut or adjustable stop [3 is secured to rod Ill while extension 9 hasits end slidably mounted on said rod in spaced relation to said nut orstop. A wire M of the solenoid connects one side of a battery l5, whileone end of a wire 16 connects the other side of a battery and its otherend connects a contact I 7 in a switch box l8. A switch blade I9 ispivotally mounted in said switchbox l8 and connects with a wire 2!] ofthe solenoid.

The switch is moved into and out of engagement with contact 11 by a link2| which connects with said switch blade and a handle 22 of an oilcontrol or check valve 23 connecting a pipe 24. When set screw 1 hasbeen adjusted so as to move the plunger to a desired position that willcause the engine to maintain a constant speed and produce maximumefiiciency of the pump, a cover 25 is pivotally connected to one end ofthe solenoid and secured thereto by a lock 26 so as to prevent theoperator from tampering with such adjustment.

The device functions as follows:

When the tank truck is stopped or parked and ready for the delivery ofoil or any liquid, the engine, as a general rule, is idling; the pump isthen thrown in gear with the engine by an operator. The operator thenmoves the handle 22, pivotally mounted on a rigid or fixed pipe 24adjacent the check valve 23, clockwise to close the switch. When this isdone blade or member [9 engages contact H, which closes the electricalcircuit and energizes the solenoid thus causing the plunger to move intothe chamber. The plunger moves extension 9 and its end engages nut [3thereby forcing the accelerator rod to move so as to cause thecarburetor to feed more fuel thereby increasing the speed of theautomobile engine which increases the speed of the fuel pump. Whenhandle 22 is moved counterclockwise to open the switch, the blade 19moves out of engagement with contact l1 and spring 8 forces the plungera sufficient distance out of chamber 6 so as to move the end ofextension 9 out of physical contact with the nut [3, thereby providingfor the retarding of the operation of the engine. The pump is now thrownout of gear with the engine and the flow of fuel to the customers fueltank is stopped.

In this invention there is no direct control of the valve (check valve)the control is indirect, since, the amount of opening of the check valvedepends on the pump and the speed of the pump. Ordinarily, the checkvalve will open wider or more fully at high speed of the pump than whenthe pump is operated at a lower speed.

In this invention the conduit is partly rigid and partly flexible andincludes the pipes leading to and from the pump, the meter, the pump,the check valve and a pipe leading to and including the flexible hose,and the rigid nozzle with or without a trigger valve.

By adjusting the set screw 1 to the proper position the plunger andextension may be made to move the accelerator any desired distance andcause the automobile engine to operate the fuel pump at its maximumeificiency. It is obvious that when such pre-adjustment is made then allthat is necessary is to throw the fuel pump in gear with the idlingengine, open the fuel valve and the engine and pump will operate atmaximum efficiency; thereby eliminating excessive speed of motor andhaphazard pumping.

Having described the invention, what is claimed 1. In a device of thecharacter described; comprising the combination of an automobile enginegeared to a fuel dispensing pump, said pump being interposed in a fuelsupply conduit, of a battery, a solenoid secured to said automobile; acarburetor on said engine; an accelerator rod connecting said carburetorin operative relation with a pedal in said automobile, a lock nutadjustably mounted on said rod and constituting a stop located in thepath of movable means actuated by said solenoid, said movable meanscomprising an extension having one of its ends slidably embracing saidrod adjacent said nut, the other end of said extension being secured tothe plunger of said solenoid, a check valve located in said conduit tonormally prevent backward flow of said fuel in said conduit, a switchsupported on said conduit, said switch comprising a stationary contactand a movable contact member, switch operating means mounted on saidconduit for manually operating said member, said switch being in anelectrical circuit with the battery and said solenoid, whereby manualoperation of said switch member will actuate the solenoid and itsextension to increase the speed of the engine, the dispensing pump aswell as the flow of fuel through said conduit and its check valve,substantially as described.

2. The construction set forth in claim 1 in which said switch operatingmeans comprises a lever pivoted on a rigid portion of the conduitadjacent said movable switch member, said movable member being connectedby a link to said lever, said lever having a handle whereby it may bemanually operated to open and close the switch.

WILLIAM WATT MATHEWS.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

